In front of a packed house, the Elizabeth Township Zoning Hearing Board voted tonight 4-1 to deny Allegheny Energy Center, LLC’s request for use, noise, and height variances to construct a 550 MW natural gas-fired power plant in the township along the banks of the Youghiogheny River. Allegheny Energy Center, a subsidiary of Invenergy Thermal Development LLC, applied for the use variance to allow for the power plant—an industrial use—to be built in an area zoned for residential use.
We partnered with Protect Elizabeth Township, a newly formed citizens group, to formally object to Allegheny Energy Center’s variance request. We were represented by Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services.
The decision by the Elizabeth Township Zoning Hearing Board protects the Youghiogheny River and residents and visitors who rely on it as a source of drinking water, recreation and economic development. So much has been done over the past several decades to improve water quality and quality of life in the river corridor, and we are grateful the Board has recognized their role in protecting that progress. This is a huge win for Elizabeth Township residents, the Youghiogheny River, and our region! Many thanks to our members and supporters who attended meetings and the hearing, prepared comments, made contributions or otherwise contributed to this effort– this wouldn’t have been possible without you!